It is well known in motor vehicles to provide an air bag assembly for protecting a vehicle occupant. It is also known to provide an air bag assembly including an air bag and an inflator for generating gas to inflate the air bag upon sensing predetermined vehicle conditions. It is also known to provide an air bag assembly for both front and side impact protection of the vehicle occupant.
The prior art has disclosed side impact air bag assemblies which have either one air bag or a plurality of air bags which deploy to protect the head and/or torso portions of the vehicle occupant. Certain proposed other prior art side air bags are stored in a folded condition along the roof rail and extending between the A-pillar and B-pillar for deployment downward for protection generally of the head and upper body of a vehicle occupant during a side impact. In addition, other side air bags have been proposed for protection of the torso only that generally deploy from the seat or door.
It is also well known to provide air bags for forward protection of an occupant. An air bag is typically provided in the vehicle steering wheel for protection of the driver and another air bag is provided in the vehicle instrument panel for protection of the vehicle passenger. The air bag assemblies have much different designs for the driver's side and the passenger's side such that two assemblies are separately designed for the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle may also include an upper side air bag for use on opposite sides of the vehicle. Thus, a vehicle having both upper side and frontal air bag assemblies will include essentially four separate air bag assemblies having three completely different designs. The number of different air bag assemblies in the vehicle is increased even further if there is also a side lower torso air bag.
Traditionally, the prior art has taught that it is desirable to have separate front and side air bag assemblies that can deploy at different times based on the direction of the vehicle deceleration. Typically, it is also desirable to have separate front and side air bags so that the side air bag uses a sensor and inflator arrangement that signals deployment earlier in a side deceleration event than the frontal air bag in a longitudinal deceleration event. Thus, typical vehicle air bag systems have numerous separate sensors, inflators, and cushions that must be designed and packaged in very different vehicle packaging locations.